Task force to tackle violent robberies Young people are targeted late at night close to ASU
Sarah Muench The Arizona Republic Apr. 28, 2006 12:00 AM
A task force is being created to hunt suspects in at least nine violent robberies near Arizona State University.
The task force means beefed-up patrols around downtown and the campus, and Tempe police and the ASU Department of Public Safety are working together to try and catch those responsible for the string of late-night and early-morning attacks.
Investigators have narrowed the suspects to two groups who have been using weapons and force in brazen attacks on their victims, often people in their 20s walking alone.
"I think the suspects are looking for what they believe to be easy targets," said Sgt. Dan Masters, a Tempe police spokesman. "It's that predator-prey mentality, driving around stalking someone until they can find someone, very methodical on how they find their victims."
The Tempe police Crime Analysis Unit reviewed all robberies that have been reported in the past month and looked for common themes such as the weapons used and the time of day of the attacks, Masters said.
The bulk of the robberies happened in the past two weeks, but some date back to late March, police said. Masters said the high number of recent "street-jump" robberies in a short time was the driving force behind forming the task force.
"Certainly our fear is if the victim resisted or hesitated in complying with demands, they may have been shot or hit more times with a baseball bat or seriously injured or killed just by the level of force these suspects have demonstrated," he said.
"Especially with these robberies what set them apart from others, the MO. They are street-jump robberies (and) are uncommon," Masters added.
Several robberies this week, including two Sunday, also could be part of the string of attacks:
Two men, ages 21 and 22, were robbed at 3:35 a.m. Sunday as they were walking on a sidewalk inside the Villages on University, a gated apartment complex. The robber pointed a handgun at them and demanded their wallets.
Police said they believe that the same man and an accomplice robbed another man and a woman, both 20, at 3:40a.m. as they were standing in front of a residence in the 1000 block of South Butte Ave. Both men pointed handguns at the victims and took the woman's purse.
In analyzing the recent attacks, police said several trends emerged:
Three recent robberies involved one to two men in their late teens to 20s who have been using a baseball bat as a weapon, police said. The victims, one man and three women, have all been in their early 20s.
The second group, which may be responsible for five robberies, includes two to three suspects, 18 to 24 years old, who have been using handguns when robbing their victims, police said. The victims, five men and three women, have all been in their early 20s and were confronted while walking on a public sidewalk or in a common area such as in an apartment complex parking lot.
The remaining robbery involved the victim being punched in the face.
There is no evidence yet to link the two groups of suspects, but it hasn't been ruled out, Masters said.
He said the task force would meet weekly and includes officers from various Tempe police units including the Criminal Investigations Bureau, Patrol Division, Special Investigations Bureau and Crime Analysis Unit. There will be increased patrols by officers on bike and horse, but officials declined to talk about specifics.
Leah Hardesty, an ASU spokeswoman, said the university is passing out fliers to students informing them of safety tips and details about the recent robberies.
"We are just the same size as a small city, so we have to consider safety precautions that you would take anywhere," Hardesty said.
Students can call the Safety Escort Service at (480) 965-1515. The free service transports students from anywhere on campus to their car.
Students also can call the ASU Department of Public Safety at (480) 965-3456 for a ride after hours or when the Safety Escort Service is busy.